Sunday, May 9, 2010

Rainbow manicure?

I know I was spoiled in NY, a nail salon on every other corner. I used to do manicures and Manhattan’s at the nail salon in Boreum Hill. I would come home, a little buzzed with perfectly done toes and tips. When I was broke I would go to the other place around the corner, where I would quickly and cheaply get clipped, polished and sent out the door feeling a little rushed but looking fantastic. I should have known; nothing good could come of a salon visit where I did not see Korean women working away like mad. But then again, I have yet to see any Korean women here, and I am a little concerned about who is going to alter my clothes.

A few weeks back, while Maggie was visiting we decided we would get our nails done, I was in desperate need of a pedicure and her nails were chipping. There was some pre-salon visit research, I found a salon and we headed out. We arrived with out an appointment, but ready to wait. After a confusing dialog that included pointing at fingers, toes, and a basket of nail polish we got ushered into a small room, for massages. Apparently the girl who does pedicures is out on Saturday but we could get our nails done. Out came a cart full of the necessary nail paraphernalia. It wasn’t the set up we were used to but, it will work. Then the basket with polish is placed in front of us and we are encouraged to choose a color. We start digging through, browns, dark reds, lime green, hot pink, pale pinks the usual suspects, but they all seemed a bit off. As most women know the color is important, it has to match your skin tone, yes, but also your personality, your sense of style, it has to match with you- and all that encompasses. In our attempt to pick a color we painted some nails, multiple colors, wiped some off, and settled on one that was just ok. While waiting for the woman to paint our nails we discussed the failure of this salon, and in a flash decided we didn’t want to get this polish, by this woman, in this room, on our nails. We quickly packed up, said a few desculpas (I am sorry) and obrigada’s (thank you) and rushed out. Giggling as we fled, in search of a new salon, and preferably one that also did pedicures. We went to three other salon’s they all failed in the pedicure department. It seems Tuesday is a better Pedicure day. After so many futile attempts, we decided we would get one at the last salon and they seemed happy to oblige. We entered and started looking through the nail polish, painting a few more nails to decide on the color when an employee came over and took the polish basket away from us!

“No! No!” she said.

After being ignored for a few more minutes, we left yet another salon, without a manicure. And seeing as it was not Tuesday without a pedicure as well.

Failing to launch a new trend that includes multiple colors painted on each nail, we came home and did our own nails.